Christmas Smooch
by smartybear2
Summary: A little KA fluff starring a Santa hat, eggnog, a sprig of mistletoe, and a kiss.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Voltron, Defender of the Universe, Voltron 3D, and its characters are copyright ╘ 1984 & copyright ╘ 2000 by World Events Productions, Ltd. and Toei Animation Company. This story is for entertainment purposes only. Original characters and storyline are property of the author, please do not use, reproduce, or repost without permission.

Author Notes: This is a one-shot which I wrote after seeing a great drawing by Zejan's drawing of the same title. It first went up on the kaex yahoogroup, and I decided to post it here as well because people seem to be looking for light and fluffy Voltron fic. :) I haven't written for a loooong while, life happens! I hope to do so again soon, though. There are mentions of characters from my major fic series, A Princess and her Knight, but even if you've never read those fics - I think you'll be able to follow this story. :) Without further ado, I bring you...

* * *

Christmas Smooch

A Voltron Fanfic by Smartybear (CBear)

Part 1

"This is great! I can't believe that my errant family has actually sent me a care package this year!" Lance laughed, pulling the cover off an intergalactic shipment box that had just arrived for him. "Will wonders never cease!"

"They send you one every year, so stop complaining," Keith said with an admonishing glare at his best friend tearing into his package. "It was just bad luck that Zarkon always managed to inter- cept cargo loadings from Garrison these past two years."

"And merry Christmas to you, too, Captain Grouch," Lance quipped, shaking his head at his friend. He peered over Keith's shoulder to peek into Keith's box. "It's just like Mandy to pack one for you, too. What's inside yours?"

"Christmas cookies... a Santa cap - what in the world does Mandy think we can use a Santa cap here for?" Keith frowned in bewilderment, pulling out the item in question. "Some cards from friends at Garrison - thanks to your sister favorite Tina, no doubt... a couple of wrapped presents from Mandy and Abby... what about yours?"

"Basically, the same," Lance said, rummaging through his box. "Hey, how come I don't have a Santa cap?" he complained, digging to the very bottom of the box and not finding one there.

Keith was too busy reading through Tina's card and laughing at her explanation for the Santa cap to respond to Lance's complaint.

"What's so funny?" Lance asked suspiciously, looking over at Keith who was still chuckling over Tina's card. With a wicked gleam in his eye he reached over and snatched it from Keith's hands. Ignoring his friend's protests, Lance began to read the card silently, a furious Keith looking on.

" 'Dear Keith,

" 'It's such a bummer that you and Lance haven't been able to get our Christmas boxes for the past two years - but I'm hoping that this will be the year that you'll finally get a taste of some Christmas spirit! I know they don't have Christmas in Arus, but I thought the Santa cap might give you a chance to introduce the concept to some lucky Arussian girl - as you wait for her wearing it and only it under the Christmas tree. Just kidding! Excuse the overactive imagination - that's what one gets for living a life of self-imposed celibacy. The academy is not kind to my love life... do you think I'd have better luck finding someone out there?

" 'Anyway, merry Christmas. Hope you enjoy the other presents - and the cards from your legions of fans here at the Academy. I never meant to send them over because they just add to the weight of the package, but since they came from my flight and battle instructors... you know the drill. We miss you (and Lance, too - but don't tell him I said so), and I'm looking forward to the day when we can all spend Christmas together - whether it's here on Earth or when I finally join you there in the Diamond Galaxy (I've already applied for a position as medical officer and am in the second stage of being approved - don't tell Lance that because he might get a heart attack). Take care always!

" 'Love, Tina

" 'P.S. If Lance asks why he doesn't have a Santa cap, tell him I packed something in that box for him that I'm sure he will like infinitely better.

" 'P.S. #2 IS there a lucky girl who'll find you under the tree this Christmas? Rumors have it that there is! Tell me... does her name happen to start and end with the same letter? He he he... maybe you should borrow Lance's treat instead!' "

"Your sister is crazy... I'm beginning to think it runs in your family," Keith said stiffly, grabbing the card back from Lance and tucking it safely back inside its envelope.

Lance was already laughing. "Can you imagine what Allura's reaction would be if -"

"What my reaction would be if what, Lance?"

The familiar music of the Princess' voice effectively shut the two bickering friends up. She stepped into the rec room with a curious smile, trailed by Hunk and Pidge who had also heard about the care package from home the other two had received.

"Hi, buddies," Hunk greeted with a huge grin. "We were wondering if there were some Terra goodies that maybe we can share... hey, Christmas cookies!"

Keith pulled his pack out of the box with a resigned sigh. "Here, have some," he offered with a small grin. "Mandy - Lance's sister - baked them herself."

Allura pulled one cookie out of the bag and frowned thoughtfully. "What an odd shape this is," she commented, holding the cookie up. "Is it just me, or is this cookie really cut in the shape of a tree?"

"It's a Christmas tree, Princess," Pidge explained, biting into his own snowman. "One of the Terra traditions associated with the Yuletide season."

"Speaking of Christmas trees," Lance said, the wicked gleam in his eyes back as he raised the Santa cap from Keith's box. "Can you guys imagine oh Captain our Captain wearing this thing and waiting for -- er... someone -- to find him under the Christmas tree?" Lance laughed at the murderous expression on Keith's face and plunked the Santa cap on top of Keith's head. The white pompom fell straight to the tip of Keith's nose, earning laughs from the rest of the team.

"It suits you, Skipper," chuckled Hunk, munching on his fourth cookie. "Makes you look more authoritative."

"I think it'll fit Hunk better," Pidge said critically. "At least he doesn't have to stuff a pillow under his suit to really look like Santa Claus."

"I resent that, little buddy," Hunk said, bopping Pidge on the head with one of the couch pillows. "I do not have a belly - and I don't laugh with a 'ho ho ho.'"

Allura watched the rest of them, mild bewilderment gracing her features. They had mentioned Christmas in passing to her several times over the years, but none of them had actually sat down and explained the holiday to her entirely. She had certainly never heard about this Santa fellow - but even she had to admit that Keith looked rather cute with that red cap on his head.

"Who's Santa Claus?" she asked her eyes glinting with curiosity.

At that Hunk launched into a lengthy explanation about a man in a red suit with Pidge piping in to provide more details. They told her about Christmas trees, the gift-giving, and the reason behind the season. Hunk and Pidge were not native Terrans, but their years at the Academy had taught them to love the Yule season with a passion. As Hunk and Pidge explained to Allura over Keith's Christmas cookies, the other two continued to examine the goodies in their boxes. One find caused Lance to let out a whoop of glee loud enough to interrupt Pidge's enthusiastic stories about the joys of sleigh riding.

"What is it?" Allura asked, as Lance held up a delicate looking sprig suspended by a red ribbon.

"Mistletoe," Keith said reluctantly.

"It looks like any ordinary plant to me," Allura said peering at the sprig that Lance was regarding with undisguised mischief. "What's Lance so worked up about? Another Christmas tradition?"

"Yup - one of the best where I'm concerned," Lance said chuckling happily. "We used to hand this over the doorway, and any couple who was caught under it were required to kiss each other." Lance made a smacking sound with his lips. "You wouldn't believe how many lovely moments I've spent under the mistletoe over the years."

"I'm surprised you can even count," Keith commented dryly. "Considering how many of our women classmates also pounded you to the ground afterwards."

"'Better to have loved than lost...'" Lance sang out. "'Than never to have loved...'" He tipped his head towards Allura in a subtle message.

"We know how it goes," Keith said, shooting him a warning look. "Just don't get any ideas."

"Christmas sounds really fun," Allura said with a grin. "Perhaps someday I can come to Earth when it's Christmas season so that I can experience it."

"That would be a great idea -" Lance began, but was interrupted by blips from Keith and the Princess' transmitters.

"Coran apparently wants us..." Keith said with a resigned shrug. He covered his box and set it aside on the table. He turned to the Princess. "He's at Castle Control?"

Allura nodded. "Let's go then," she said. She gave the boys a warning look. "Make sure you don't finish all of Keith's cookies!" She and Keith strode out of the room and the door slid closed behind them.

Lance was still holding up the sprig of mistletoe, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. Pidge and Hunk looked at their friend suspiciously.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're getting ideas you have no business getting?" Pidge asked Lance.

Lance blinked innocently. "Who - me?" He shook the sprig of mistletoe in front of Pidge's eyes. "Of course not."

"You know he's going to murder you if you even TRY to get the Princess under that sprig with you," Hunk warned, putting away temptation from himself and sealing the bag of remaining cookies.

"Who said anything about ME getting under the mistletoe with the Princess?" Lance asked testily. "If you guys stopped being suspicious of me for one moment, you'd be able to help me think of a way to get THEM under this sprig of mistletoe together."

"He's still going to want to murder you if you do that, you know," Hunk said conversationally.

"Yes, but he'll thank us afterwards."

At that moment, one of the Princes' mice scampered up the rec room coffee table to pick up a stray piece of Christmas cookie. At the sight, Pidge's eyes lit up.

"Shut up you two," Pidge said, his grin a reflection of Lance's. "I think I have a plan."

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

same disclaimers apply. :) without further ado...

Christmas Smooch A Voltron Fanfic by Smartybear (CBear)

Part 2

Keith did not like the smug smiles the three of his teammates had been exchanging with one another over dinner. The last time he had seen them this way, he had ended up in the lake fully clothed, so he felt that his paranoia was well-placed. There was something in the wind - and he had the stongest feeling that he was going to be the brunt of it.

"I'm glad that all those Christmas cookies didn't ruin your appetite, Hunk," Allura said with a laugh as she watched Hunk reach for his third slice of Nanny's chocolate cake. The rest of the boys had already finished their portion of dessert, and Coran had already retired to Castle Control - but Hunk apparently was not planning to finish eating any time soon.

"I didn't really have that many," Hunk defended himself sheepishly as he put away another forkful of cake. "I put Keith's cookies away like a good boy when you asked me to."

"Well, we'd appreciate it if you could finish eating THAT slice of cake because I plan to share MY Christmas cookies in the rec room with EVERYONE," Lance said, eyeing Hunk's slice of cake then Hunk pointedly. Pidge and Lance exchanged another meaninful glance that Keith didn't miss - now if only he knew WHAT the meaningful glance meant, all his troubles would be over.

"That's sweet of you, Lance," Allura said, turning a grateful smile to Lance. "Your sister makes magnificent cookies - and besides, it would be nice ot hear more about Christmas over a plate full of Christmas cookies."

Pidge grinned at Allura. "Actually, Princess, we did you one better. While you and Keith were at that meeting with Coran this afternoon, Lance, Hunk,and I planned a little Christmas party just for you. We'll sing some carols... have some eggnog Lance made... give you gifts... We didn't have time to set up a Christmas tree, but..."

"Oh, Pidge, that would be wonderful!" Allura exclaimed, clapping her hands in child-like glee. Suddenly, her expression went from delight to dismay. "But I don't have any presents for you guys..."

"It's okay, Princess," Lance said reassuringly. "We set this up so that we'd have an excuse to give YOU presents. Don't worry about it." He looked back at Hunk, who was hurrying through his cake. "Now if only SOME people would finish eating so that we could get started..."

"Mmmpphhhh," Hunk protested, his mouth full of cake. "Ahhm, urring aredy."

"I guess that's my cue to join Coran at Castle Control," Keith said, eager to escape from his scheming friends. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't help but feel that tonight's party was no Christmas party... it was going to be a barbeque with him as main course.

Four pairs of indignant eyes pinned him to his seat.

"You're not going to join us?" Allura asked, her voice tinged with surprise and not just a little disappointment. "But why not?"

"Yes, Captain," Lance echoed, his eyes glinting with devilish glee. "Why not?"

Keith ran a finger under his collar to hide his agitated gulp. "Er... because... well..." Keith groped for a reason and quickly latched on to the first one he could find. "I didn't know about the party, so I had no time to get you a gift," he said.

Lance quirked his eyebrow at that, his taunting gaze saying - "Aw, come on, Keith, you can do better than that."

Allura apparently thought so as well. "I know this is just as much a surprise to you as it is to me, so I don't expect you to have gotten me anything," she said eagerly. "It would be such a shame for you to miss all the fun just because you think you should have bought me a gift." She gave him one of her meltingly persuasive smiles. "Do give yourself a break, Keith - say you'll come."

"Well..." Keith began, struggling for a life line... but sure that he wasn't going to get one. "All right," he capitulated weakly. "Just give me time to go to my quarters... there's something I have to pick up."

"Sure thing, Skipper," Lance said. "We'll head on to the rec room to start the festivities - but we'll be expecting you to join us there."

Keith sighed. He would very much rather have his molars pulled, but he knew from the moment Allura had shot him that pleading smile that he didn't have a chance.

* * *

"Deck the hall with boughs of holly... fala la la la la la la laaaaaaaaah..."

Hunk's off-key baritone greeted Keith as he entered the rec room. There was a small package in Keith's hands, a package that he had awkwardly wrapped himself. He gave himself a moment to take in all that was going on inside the rec room - outside of Hunk's off-key singing.

Allura was busily opening one of her gifts, Pidge most probably because he was the one hovering closest. The mice were perched on her shoulder, each nibbling a Christmas cookie. Lance was pouring eggnog into a mug and handing it to Allura, and Keith wondered if Lance had spiked the drink and how many the Princess had had. The flush on Allura's face made him more suspicious - but of course her color could also be accounted for by all the fun she was having, not because she was slightly foxed. To his horror, Allura downed the eggnog manfully in one gulp before turning back to Pidge's gift.

"Hey, Keith - you're just in time to see the Princess open her gifts," Pidge enthused. "It's a shame you missed your turn at the carols..."

"No, it isn't," Keith said firmly. "You wouldn't have wanted to hear me sing." He cautiously took a seat in one of the armchairs flanking the couch. "How many gifts has she opened so far?"

"Lance's and Hunk's," Allura said cheerfully, her color high. "Nice of you to join us, Captain Mother Hen." She raised the silver-backed brush Lance had given her for Keith's inspection. Hunk's gift, brush's matching mirror, lay on the table. "Isn't it nice?"

"It is, definitely." Keith nodded, but he was eyeing Allura worriedly. He took the mug of eggnog Lance offered him and pulled his friend down by his sleeve. "Did you spike this?" he asked, raising the mug to Lance's face.

"Of course I did," Lance said. "Don't worry, I didn't put a lot - just enough."

Keith sighed. That's what he was worried about. "And how many has Allura had?"

"Three, I think," Lance replied, looking over at Allura who was enthusiastically waving Pidge's present - a sapphire-colored shawl - in the air. He suddenly realized Keith's point. "Uh oh."

"'Uh oh' is right,"Keith said dryly. "Did you even consider that she's not used to drinking more than a sip or two of light alcoholic beverages before you let her have three manful mugs of eggnog in a row?"

"No," Lance said, his expression sheepish. "She doesn't look drunk..."

"Yet," Keith added grimly. "But you can see that she's getting there - and fast."

"Lance, can I have more eggnog?"

"No," Keith said quickly, distracting her with his package. He grinned at her when she frowned at the parcel in surprise. "Here, I got something for you."

Allura cradled the parcel in her hands and shot him a doubtful glance. "But I thought you said..."

"Actually - I got it at the artisans' fair a month ago," Keith explained, conscious of his friends' attention on him. "It... reminded me of you. I just didn't know when I would give it to you."

She tore the packaging with gentle hands to reveal an intricately crafted music box made of silver. The lid was engraved with small blue roses twined around two clasped hands. She slowly opened the box, and a quiet melody poured from the box. She smiled when she recognized it as one of the tunes she loved to play on the grand piano in the Castle ballroom, an old Arussian love song.

"Do you know what this is, Keith?" she asked softly. "This is no ordinary music box."

"It isn't?" Keith asked, trying to look innocent. The artisan he had bought the box from had told him that this box's design had a special meaning in this region of the planet, but he hadn't listened. Or perhaps he had... and that was why he decided to give it to her anyway.

"This is a promise box," she explained absently, stroking the intricately carved design on the lid. "It's one of the gifts couples use to pledge their troth to one another."

"I see," Keith said noncommitally, even as he felt his friends' speculative glances at him. "I got it because you love that song - and the color reminded me of your eyes."

"It is pretty," she said with a small smile just for him. "Thank you, Keith."

"Merry Christmas, Princess."

"I love Christmas," she declared magnanimously, leaning back on the couch and sighing in contentment. "We should celebrate Christmas here, too, just for you guys. I shall make it a royal decree."

"She's drunk," Keith mouthed accusingly towards Lance, who shrugged guiltily. Alluar's mice had scampered out of sight the minute she lay her head against the headrest, and Hunk and Pidge had gathered around the Princess, who still had her eyes closed.

"It was just eggnog," Pidge said blinking at the Princess.

"Eggnog," Allura repeated with a smile. She opened her eyes and frowned. "Pidge, why are you all blurry?"

"Uh oh," Hunk said. "Nanny is going to deck US."

"Not if she doesn't find out about it," Lance said, setting his jaw in determination. "I think that this Christmas party is over."

"You said it," Keith said, putting Allura's presents aside and handing them to Pidge. "You bring this. We're going to escort the Princess to her room and hope she doesn't have a heck of a hang-over tomorrow."

"I think that's a great idea," Hunk said. He leaned over Allura. "Princess - can you stand up?"

"Of course I can!" Allura exclaimed indignantly. "There's nothing wrong with me." She pushed herself from the couch and stood, weaving a little before finally coming steady on her feet. "I think."

"Dizzy?" Keith asked, holding her at the elbow.

"A little," she admitted with a giddy smile. "I'm okay."

"Okay," Keith said. Lance, Hunk, and Pidge had already stepped out into the corridor to see if the coast was clear, and it was his turn to lead the princess out the door. She insisted on walking without assistance, so he stepped into the doorway first just to make sure she was okay.

It wasn't till he heard the mice squealing above him and his teammates' knowing grins directed at him that he realized he'd been had. Almost dreading the moment, he slowly looked up to find the sprig of mistletoe suspended from Cheddar's paw.

Allura saw him pause and looked up as well. She grinned. "Hi, guys, what are you holding up there?" she asked. "Is that... oh, it's the mistletoe!"

Keith groaned. He was hoping that the Princess' inebrated state would prevent her from recognizing the sprig, but he should be so lucky. He stepped away from the doorway, but not soon enough. Lance, Hunk,and Pidge were not going to let him get away that easily.

"Isn't there some Christmas tradition that goes with standing under the mistletoe?" Allura asked frowning.

Lance nodded. "Yes, Keith, isn't there?"

"I don't think it's a very good idea to follow through on this particular tradition right now, Princess," Keith said cautiously. He took Allura by the elbow and tried ot usher her away from the door, but she refused to budge. "You have to get to bed before Nanny sees you."

"But what is it? What's the tradition? If we don't follow the tradition, wouldn't that make it not a merry Christmas?"

"We-ell..."

"What's the tradition, Lance? You tell me because Keith doesn't want to."

Keith shot Lance a warning look, but Lance refused to heed it. "You're supposed to kiss whoever you're caught under the mistletoe with," Lance explained with a devilish grin.

"Is that all?" Allura asked, blinking at her friends. "That won't take any time a'tall." She shot Keith an accusing glare. "Don't you want to kiss me?"

Keith held out his hands. "It's not that, Princess, of course I do... It's just that..."

"Well, then!"

Before any of them could figure out what she was going to do next, she had Keith in her arms and was locking her lips with his.

Nanny chose that inopportune moment to pass by.

"What are you - ach... Princess! What are you doing?"

The Princess wasn't so far gone as to not recognize THAT voice of authority, and she let Keith go. Both the princess and Keith flushed guiltily under Nanny's incriminating glare.

"Just what was going on here, Princess? What were you doing locking lips with that... that..."

"It was a Christmas tradition," Allura said defensively. "We were standing under mistletoe."

"She had eggnog," Keith explained, running his hand through his mussed hair. "I think she's a little drunk."

"You're going to bed, young lady," Nanny said, leading the Princess by the hand and stomping towards the Royal chambers. "And you... YOU will all hear from me tomorrow!"

Pidge trotted behind them with the Princess' gifts, still laughing as he went.

The three remaining Voltron Force members were too stunned to do more than just stare at each other in dazed disbelief.

"Did that just happen?" Hunk finally ventured.

"That kiss looked mighty real to me," Lance said, a grin slowly blooming on his face.

"Felt real enough," Keith said absently, rubbing his lips with a glazed expression on his face.

Hunk and Lance exchanged a glance and laughed. "Merry Christmas, Skipper."

Keith shook his head. "Merry Christmas," he replied dryly. He looked down the corridor where Nanny and the Princess had disappeared. "Although I don't think we're going to be quite as merry when Nanny is through with us."

The boys got a scathing lecture from Nanny about responsibility and alcohol use, but for the spectacle they had witnessed the night before, they felt the trouble was worth it. Keith was, luckily, exonerated for his sins, after Allura admitted that SHE had done the kissing the night before, and only because she was drunk. And of course - there was that mistletoe tradition to excuse them, too.

All in all, Keith mused to himself, it didn't turn out as bad as he thought it would.

Now if only he could forget that kiss. Or maybe he shouldn't.

* * *

He stood by the huge windows of the observation deck, idly fingering the pompom of his Santa cap. He had taken it out on impulse and had brought it here with him before asking the Princess to come join him and bring the promise box with her.

"This is crazy," he told himself even as he moved the pompom to the side of his face. "You're crazy. It's the only explanation."

"Keith?"

Allura entered the darkened room uncertainly, the music box in her hands. She had dreaded seeing him again after the embarrassing debacle of the night before, but he was surprisingly easy about it. Now if she could only figure out why he had called for her, maybe she'd be able to settle the butterflies in her stomach regarding whether he suspected that she had kissed him last night because she had seriously wanted to.

"Princess." He turned to her with a smile, and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the Santa cap on his head. "Merry Christmas."

"Isn't it a day too late for that cap?" she asked with a grin, amused by his silliness.

"Hold that expression," Keith said grinning back. "I want to remember it."

"Why?"

"Because all of them want to know what your reaction would be when you saw me wearing this and waiting for you under the Christmas tree," he answered. He tipped his head to one side. "There's no Christmas tree and I'm still wearing my flight suit - but how do you like it?"

Allura looked dazed. "Like what?"

"Your sort-off Christmas present. From me."

"But -" Allura raised the box towards him. "This is my Christmas present from you."

"That too... but I want it back, please." He gently snatched the box from her hands.

"What?"

"I want to give it to you properly," Keith explained, smiling at her. "I knew what it was, Allura."

"That it was a music box?"

"That it was a promise box."

"Oh." Everything was going by so fast, and Allura didn't quite believe everything was actually happening. There was nothing more she could say outside of 'oh' after she saw the tender expression in his smiling dark eyes.

"Princess - this is for you," he said solemnly, handing the box to her and folding her hands around it. "There aren't many promises I'm allowed to make, but the one I am allowed to make I do - that I will always care for you and protect you as long as I am able."

"Care for me?"

For a moment he looked sad. "Don't make me say the words, Princess. Let this be enough for now."

She nodded, her eyes misting. "I make the same promise to you as well."

They stood in silence for a few moments, then Keith grinned. "You asked me last night if I wanted to kiss you when we stood under the mistletoe."

Allura blushed. "I didn't mean to..."

"Ssssh," he ordered softly, laying a finger on her lips. "The truth is I didn't want to, not in front of Lance, Hunk, and Pidge. And certainly not because of a sprig of mistletoe."

Allura stiffened. "I'm sorry if I offen -"

"I wanted the first time I kissed you to be right - for the right reasons." His eyes glinted with his smile. "Like right now."

"Right now?"

"Yes," he answered, pulling her close. "Right now."

"But there's no mistletoe," she whispered breathlessly as his face approached.

"No Nanny either," he quipped, causing her to giggle. He caught her laughter with his mouth as he gently kissed her for the very first time, his gentle coaxing lips moving upon her soft, pliant ones.

And what a kiss it was.

- fin -


End file.
